Fate enjoyed by Indian Captains in Test series in England
While team India's tour of England is barely 10 days away, it would be a litmus test for Indian skipper Virat Kohli who would undertake his first tour of England as a captain.
Enjoying considerable success in English conditions, especially against the swinging Duke ball under overcast conditions is considered to be a feather in the cap of any subcontinental captain since English conditions are drastically different from the dry, dustbowls on offer in the subcontinent.
Team India has enjoyed mixed success in their past four tours of England, ever since the beginning of the new millennium. While India managed an impressive 1-1 draw in 2002 under the leadership of Ganguly, team India went a step ahead and clinched the Test series 1-0 in 2007 under Dravid's captaincy.
The next two tours of England, in 2011 and 2013 respectively, however, were disastrous and are considered to be a black mark in Dhoni's otherwise spotless record.
Captaincy often plays a major role in a team's success under difficult playing conditions. A captain is expected to lead from the front not only with the bat but also while marshaling his troops.
Here we have a look at the fate enjoyed by Indian captains while leading team India in Tests on English soil.
1. Sourav Ganguly 2002
While India had the worst possible start to the tour, having lost the first Test by a whopping 170 runs, the second Test ended in a closely contested draw. India soon staged a dramatic comeback as they defeated England by an innings and 46 runs in the third Test.
Ganguly, Tendulkar, and vice-captain Dravid all scored brilliant centuries to help India humble England. While Tendulkar and Dravid forged together a humongous partnership to take India to a mammoth total, Ganguly played an aggressive 128, scoring at a strike rate of 76.
Sourav Ganguly had a dream start to his Test career in England, scoring a century in his Test debut in Lord's. He followed it up with another ton in the subsequent Test. While his debut series in England was a fairytale, his next tour of England, in 2002, saw him leading team India for the first and only time in a Test series in England.
Ganguly especially took a liking to left-arm spinner Ashley Giles as he took him away to the cleaners quite often. With active contributions from spinners Kumble and Harbhajan, India managed to inflict an innings defeat on England and squared the series. The final Test ended in a draw and the series was shared 1-1.
On a personal front, Ganguly enjoyed tremendous success with the bat as he scored 351 runs in four matches at an average of 59. At the end of this series, Ganguly's stock as a captain only spiralled upwards as he managed not to lose a Test series in England by a visiting Indian team for the first time since 1986.